Thursday, March 28, 2024

ZPPA says it was NOT involved the procurement of the 42 fire engines

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Fire Truck
Fire Truck

The Zambia Public Procurement Authority says it was not involved in the procurement of the 42 controversial fire engines at the cost of 42 million dollars.

Speaking at a media briefing today, ZPPA Director General Danies Chisenda said the Authority only exists to regulate procurement by public institutions.

Mr. Chisenda said the fire tenders were procured by the Ministry of Local Government because ZPPA does not procure goods and services for any public institutions.

He explained that in 2008, government passed the Public Procurement Act to reform and decentralize public procurement, a policy which was effected in 2013, giving public institutions powers to procure goods and services for themselves.

And the Ndola City Council has received one fire truckers from the 42 that were recently procured by Government.

The Council has since thanked the Ministry of Local Government for equipping it with what it called brand new state of the art fire truck.

It said the newly acquired fire tender will enable the Local Authority to respond to fires and other related emergencies more effectively and efficiently.

The Council said it is also elated that the Ministry had taken innitiative to train some of its officers in the operation of the new fire tenders.

Meanwhile, Siavonga District Commissioner (DC) Lovemore Kanyama has commended government for providing a fire tender to curb fire incidents and damage to infrastructure in the district.

ZANIS reports that Mr Kanyama said the modern fire tender which is one of the 42 fire engines the ministry of local government recently purchased at a cost of US$42 million will now equip the district with the capacity to quench any fire.

Mr Kanyama disclosed that the district has been running without a fire tender since it was created many decades ago exposing government and private properties to risk in an event of a fire outbreak.

The District Commissioner said it was a risk for Siavonga district which has the biggest Hydro power station in the country to operate without a fire tender.

Mr Kanyama assured the ministry of local government that handed over the fire tender to the district yesterday that Siavonga district will look after the fire tender safely to meet people’s aspiration of protecting their property.

He also appealed to ZESCO management to invest in fire tenders so that they can supplement the one which is already in the district to effectively handle any fire outbreak.

60 COMMENTS

    • It was involved or not involved – confused narrative LT. Let’s fix that

      Bottom line is – this is now water off a ducks back.

      We need to move on. No one cares – the alternative to not buying those engines would have been what exactly ?

      Why worry about money that can’t control where it goes.

      Zambians are dull.

      Thanks

      BB2014,2016

    • Disband the Zambia Public Procurement Authority. It is has no Public interest if it has no Authority to procure Public requirements. What is it regulating if it cant regulate even purchase authorisation limits.
      Reply

    • ZPPA DOES NOT PROCURE GOODS AND SERVICES FOR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS
      ZPPA JOB IS TO REGULATE PROCUREMENT OF GOODS AND SERVICES FOR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS
      ZPPA REGULATES PROCUREMENT BY PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS
      SO ZPPA WAS INVOLVED BY REGULATING THE PROCESS.
      =========================================
      LT’s obsession about Fire Tenders is making their headlines Skewed.
      To Regulate is to
      *control or maintain the rate or speed of (a machine or process) so that it operates properly.
      “a hormone which regulates metabolism”
      synonyms: control, adjust, manage, balance, set, synchronize, modulate, tune
      “the flow of the river has been regulated with sluices”
      *control (something, especially a business activity) by means of rules and regulations.
      “the Code…

    • CONT’D
      … regulates the takeovers of all public companies”
      synonyms: supervise, oversee, police, superintend, monitor, check (up on), keep an eye on, inspect, *administer, be responsible for; More
      *set (a clock or other apparatus) according to an external standard.
      “the standard time by which other clocks were regulated”
      So ZPPA what are you telling us?

    • $1 million is way too much for a fire truck as it stands on the pic above. It’s not like we’re talking about an armoured battle tank. The cost-effectivity of this deal is simply questionable. There are surely other alternatives to control or prevent fire damage other than investing in expensive vehicles.

    • ZPPA should see a red light in a procurement bid by any govt office that they scrutinize. If they can’t flag down such deals then why in the heck are they getting tax payers money as salaries and what not on the pretext that they regulate procurement procedures? Let those involved be punished and let it extend to Kampyongo and anyone else who green lighted this deal.

    • Where’s leadership when there’s all this confusion in the country?
      Do we really need to change leadership before 2021?

    • @ Answers – We definitely need to change leadership before 2021! Can we just ignore these thieves that first STOLE our PF Party of MCS with pangas, and then STOLE the Election, and then BORROWED Billions of Dollars so they could STEAL that too?

      Our children will be the ones that have to pay back this kaloba, can we be satisfied when we are condemning them to a life of poverty and sickness because of these greedy criminals?

      NO! Lungu must answer and if found wanting, go to JAIL!

    • Okay yes you don’t procure but regulate, we understand now. So why didn’t you regulate the procurement of fire tenders costing $1m each?

  1. Kampyongo kubilima… how does home affairs involve itself in the purchase of these fire trucks worth $42 million for another ministry in this case local government. I feel for vincent mwale whose dinning wit thieves and is now at pains trying to explain things he doesnt know, already vincent said ZPPA gave a go ahead, ACC is saying procedures were followed. Now that ZPPA says they had nothing to do with this corruption please bwana Vincent explain what you meant???
    Ba kampyongo lungu you are stealing for has imunity imwe you will rot, this is not katondo street. Ba jean also its not drugs you were stealing ku clinic. control your long hands ba imbwa imwe.

  2. Kampyongo kubilima… how does home affairs involve itself in the purchase of these fire trucks worth $42 million for another ministry in this case local government. I feel for vincent mwale whose dinning wit thieves and is now at pains trying to explain things he doesnt know, already vincent said ZPPA gave a go ahead, ACC is saying procedures were followed. Now that ZPPA says they had nothing to do with this corruption please bwana Vincent explain what you meant???
    Ba kampyongo lungu you are stealing for has imunity imwe you will rot, this is not katondo street. Ba jean also its not drugs you were stealing ku clinic. control your long hands.

  3. ZPPA was both involved and not involved according to lazy LT editors.No wonder corruption in Zed will never end.

  4. sure chi scania truck nacho chi second hand at $1 million. lol these guys will soon start buying sand and claiming that the sand is salt for patients. its interesting where the same contractor whose having 90% of the road contracts (AVIC) is also the one building for the president at the same time.
    President lungu is busy saying he cant see corruption in his government, yes you cant see corruption but boss check your account balance am sure you will now see it. eh my ministers are corrupt today at there not corrupt because his now receiving a cut. ECL is a gangstar.

  5. See now! The Public Procurement Authority actually has no authority over Public procurement. How ironic! Then how does one vouch there was no corruption involved when the procedure experts are left out?

  6. This is exactly what happens when a drunkard son inherits property after parents die.
    he will make parties day and night even stop drinking castle,he now wants peronni. he will start buying the whole bar even buying for people he doesn’t know.
    The reason is simple he didn’t for for the money, it is as good as stolen money.
    Am sure Zambians can relate to this story we all know who stole during the last elections.

  7. Something not adding up here.

    How come the central govt readily goes to dump a $1m worth fire tender on a small Siavonga Council, yet grudgingly fund that municipality with a paltry thousand kwachas for its annual operations? In this scenario, we can bet that Siavonga’s budgetary allocation is worth only the rims of that Scania.

    Doesn’t such a move mock the spirit of decentralisation?

    And doesn’t the whole fiasco ring alarm bells … and stink?

  8. someone said its an upgrade because they included axes with insulated handles…..kkkkkkkkkkk…laughable indeed….

  9. Listen , listen …lungu pocketed $5 million from this corruption that is why he is zeeeee

    He knows what we are talking about.

  10. Disband the Zambia Public Procurement Authority. It is has no Public interest if it has no Authority to procure Public requirements. What is it regulating if it cant regulate even purchase authorisation limits.

  11. If ZPPA are not involved in the procurement, what are they being paid for? To make empty statements that they are not responsible? And hide this massive corruption away from Zambians?

    This stealing of public money must STOP !!

    Lungu must immediately start a full and complete investigation of this and the culprits brought to book. And JAILED!

    Otherwise we will know it was him that has done the stealing !

    • @Dodo

      lungu can’t and won’t “…immediately start a full and complete investigation of this and the culprits brought to book. And JAILED!”

      He is in this theft 100% and a major beneficiary. Do you think he will allow an investigation into something he is deeply involved in? Right now he is banking on Zambians legendary stup!dity and forgetfulness to ride this storm. He knows they will forget this sad episode very fast and move on as if nothing happened! He has faith in this natural remedy.

  12. What criteria is being used in allocating these fire tenders to districts? How can Ndola and Siavonga be given one tender each when the former district is more than twice the size of the latter district? If Lusaka is given four tenders, one would expect Kitwe and Ndola to get two or three tenders and the smaller districts one each.

  13. The magnacata is clearly written on the wall. Whoever does not believe that these minions are here to enrich themselves must have their head examined.Whether you support PF or not, this day light thieving devoid of any human conscious is the worst, repugnant and most intolerable mischief to befall our nation. Our friends in Tanzania are making headway in terms of restoring confidence in their governance system while we are at the fulcrum of destroying it. What did we do to deserve this gibberish type of leadership? And someone is asking for evidence, what more evidence do you want when 3 vehicles were given to someone in your inner circle? Please don’t insult our intelligence.

  14. Fire Tenders are capital expenditure Budget items. So the Ministry of Local govt budgeted to buy 42 Fire Tenders and donated these Fire Tenders to the Local Authoritie? Who in the Ministry of Local govt imported these Fire Tenders?Was payment for the Fire Tenders paid out of the Ministry’s Capital Budget? Who remitted the $42 million to the Supplier? Surely the importer must produce invoices to show how much the Spanish Supplier was paid. Bank of Zambia Exchange Control must have the details of the payment to the Supplier.This deal must be fully investigated. Ministers of Finance and Local Govt, BOZ etc should be made to account for this scandalous deal.

  15. Independent auditors need to be brought in for thorough investigations. The auditor general,s office is quite toothless in Zambia, We need those that will call a brick as it is, and not a hardened composite of bruh bruh bruh. Anna chifungula came in very well regarding contract valuations at RDA and several other govt institutions. Its high time we start seeing fruits from such reports. There’s theft and corruption in every government on earth, What matters is how the respective governments reacts to curb or recover resources.The PF govt should show leadership by initiating an investigation instead of justifying what majority people deem irregular acquisition.

    Thanks

    • M15? Scotland Yard?? Then we go back and say govt. wastes resources?? We wasted millions of dollars engaging London lawyers only for Peter Smith to make rulings over Zambian properties, and you want to use the same method again?? Do we Zambians really know what we want and what is good for us?? ZPPA and ACC and a London court went through this matter after Albion services’ (who submitted an unsolicited proposal on the supply of these fire trucks!!) bid was not selected and still were awarded damages in the London court.

  16. The then Ministers of Finance and Local Govt need to explain the Transaction and how the supply Fire Tenders was Financed and by whom. BOZ thru the Exchange Control Dept need to produce the invoices for the Remittances to the Supplier in Spain. Kampyongo must explain how the Tender was warded and why he was bribed by the Contractor when he received three Luxury Vehicles. Lungu is not bringing Kampyongo to account becoz he must have benefited from the Corrupt deal. Lungu’s Policy on corruption seems to be 100% Tolerance. He has never punished his Ministers and Officials for engaging in Corrupt deals.Lungu has never stated his govt’s Policy on Corruption. As CK alleges Lungu is Mr Corruption Number One hence in less than 3 years in Office he is already a multimillionaire from govt…

  17. **IN THE PRESS TODAY**
    The ZPPA says govt. followed procedure in the procurement of the 42 fire engines. “The tender deal was very competitive. There were 16 firms which applied but only 1 firm met the required standards and specifications needed.” ZPPA DG Daniel Chisenga said. Explaining ZPPA’s role, he said the Ministry of Local Govt. followed procedure…the Ministry applied to be allowed to single source but ZPPA rejected the application.”
    When the tender was floated in 2012, the Attorney General directed the ministry to have the tender handled by ZPPA as it was beyond the ceiling allowable by the ministry and the PS.
    THAT HEADLINE AND STORY LACKS TRUTH, LT.

  18. When the late Teta raised his voice on the fire tenders that Maroads bought at 9000 for LCC each; most thought he was just making noise. With the PF in power the matter was swept under the carpet and the matter died. So the schemers began to plot, and with the unexplained fires and loss of property the trigger to go ahead and buy the 1 million dollar trucks was hatched…the persons behind it have gone on a spree buying properties, cars, businesses and rubbing it in….2021zedforward

  19. Mushota apalafye ishilumushi. She does not care what happens to tax payers money because she lives elsewhere. As for ZPPA it is denying what its supposed to he doing. Munyela. Pebwe tabula kubweshapo. Uwakalema taleka. Money is sweet more scandals are still coming. Since Jehovah God is the one who puts the government in place he will for sure expose all the scandals and punish those involved. Its our prayer oh God, Amen.

  20. The heading is highly misleading..or is it the journalist’s artifice to woo bloggers to read the article to its entirety?

  21. Is it just being headless or the opposition is running out of ideas?
    These corruption allegations are really cool.
    So, for once can u stop bucking and start bitting?
    Any govt project is now like a ‘chipute’ to the south opposition.
    We have 3 more years to go of more ‘chiputes’ and u will need a gud supply of antibiotics to survive the coming development.

  22. Mushota shut the fxxk up! People are annoyed and you are further insulting us as being dull? Who do you think you are? We have every right to ask for answers as Zambian and if it’s none of your business to question illegal things, let those who want to do so. Take your PhD to he’ll.

  23. Please, can we ensure that this issue is kept on the agenda by all civil society. There is always the tendency to develop laziness and allow the politicians in some way to divert our attention to something else – until the next time. Pressure should be relentless until something gives. The buck stops with the GREAT LEADER.

  24. I wonder if mushota is a true Zambian! This person makes me amused as his comments are questionable making me think that he is….. . The good news is that what ever goes up will one day come down. This fact is known even to us that the wrong things that we do will make us accountable in the near future. Nothing can be hidden on this planet.

  25. UP.NDonkeys, how dull can you be even if you are Donkeys? Everybody knows that ZPPA does not buy goods or services. ZPPA simply checks every stage of the process and clears it to proceed to the next stage. The buying and tendering itself is done by individual ministries or parastatals.
    So ba LT, from the misleading headlines, it is clear that you are UP.NDonkeys too.

  26. 42 exorbitantly priced trunks are imported and suddenly there are no fires in the country. How convenient!
    Small councils failing to pay salaries now own a $1 million truck packed in the garage because there is no money for fuel. Primates are better organized in the congo forest than these bunch of crooks.

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